Soft corals dying

[Pollyann]

I used Brightwell Razor hair algae remover in my tank due to a lot of green hair algae build up. I believe I should have had a skimmer but didn’t know this as I am new to reef tanks. I have a 60ltr tank with several kenya trees, a racordia, a green polyp and a lovely anemone. I also have a pistol shrimp and goby and a springer damsel and several hermit crabs. My corals are dying or won’t open up but my fish are fine. My tank although better than it was keeps getting brown slimy algae over the gravel and sides. I’ve changed the water many times and the floss. Salinity levels are fine and I have put a phosphorous bag in my filter. Any ideas what I can do?

 

[lopez052308]

What are you parameters and how old is the tank?

 

[Dburr1014]

I used Brightwell Razor hair algae remover in my tank due to a lot of green hair algae build up. I believe I should have had a skimmer but didn’t know this as I am new to reef tanks. I have a 60ltr tank with several kenya trees, a racordia, a green polyp and a lovely anemone. I also have a pistol shrimp and goby and a springer damsel and several hermit crabs. My corals are dying or won’t open up but my fish are fine. My tank although better than it was keeps getting brown slimy algae over the gravel and sides. I’ve changed the water many times and the floss. Salinity levels are fine and I have put a phosphorous bag in my filter. Any ideas what I can do?

Water change then use activative carbon.
Get that stuff out. Algae removers should be used only after you have tried everything else.
Go buy some hermits and snails also.
So you have a skimmer now?
What type of lights and settings?

 

[Pollyann]

The tank is about 5yrs old. Im
Not really clued up with it to be honest. I’ve never had to do anything with it except water changes and feed them occasionally and it’s been lovely. Big Kenya trees that were beautiful are now shrivelling up but I don’t think these are dead. I’ve just been checking the salinity levels but otherwise im a novice.

 

[Pollyann]

Water change then use activative carbon.
Get that stuff out. Algae removers should be used only after you have tried everything else.
Go buy some hermits and snails also.
So you have a skimmer now?
What type of lights and settings?

I’ve got a phosphorous bag in between the floss but no, no skimmer. Ive been advised my tank doesn’t need it but maybe that was before I used the algae remover.

 

[Pollyann]

Here’s some pictures.

 

[Pollyann]

This is my anemone and polyp and sulky Kenya trees

 

[Dburr1014]

I’ve got a phosphorous bag in between the floss but no, no skimmer. Ive been advised my tank doesn’t need it but maybe that was before I used the algae remover.

Phosphorous bag? The name?
Sounds like that removes PO4, otherwise known as phosphate. Also known as coral food they need to live.
What test kits do you own? What brands also.
Don't add anything you can't test for other than water changes.

 

[Dburr1014]

This is my anemone and polyp and sulky Kenya trees

Oh, those strings look like dinos. Do they form bubbles as the day goes on?

 

[Pollyann]

Phosphorous bag? The name?
Sounds like that removes PO4, otherwise known as phosphate. Also known as coral food they need to live.
What test kits do you own? What brands also.
Don't add anything you can't test for other than water changes.

Phosphorous bag? The name?
Sounds like that removes PO4, otherwise known as phosphate. Also known as coral food they need to live.
What test kits do you own? What brands also.
Don't add anything you can't test for other than water changes.

The water is lovely and clear. I just can’t get rid of the brown stuff. I assume that the product I put in is still having an effect on the hair algae which is dying off slowly but I think it’s hurt my corals irreparably?? I love my tank but am at my wits end. I had about 10 Kenya trees but four have gone. They were smaller and attached to a shell.

 

[Bucs20fan]

Razor is not going to touch dinos. You have a pretty good dinoflagellate infestation going on.

The razor isnt helping but can harm corals on occasions, but the dinos are what is killing off your corals.

 

[Pollyann]

Razor is not going to touch dinos. You have a pretty good dinoflagellate infestation going on.

The razor isnt helping but can harm corals on occasions, but the dinos are what is killing off your corals.

What are Dinos? And how do I get rid of them?

 

[Bucs20fan]

What are Dinos? And how do I get rid of them?

Dinoflagellates, single celled photosynthetic organism, closely related to algae. Getting rid of them is going to be a task. They thrive in low nutrient environments. First step is to test your water. phosphate and nitrate are key here. Second is to identify what species of dino you have. An accurate diagnosis will require a sample viewed under microscope. I bought a kids one from a toy store and it worked just fine. Each type has features on its cells that give away which species it is. Species is important because it will help you take decisive action to get rid of it. Running carbon after you start to get rid of them is a fantastic idea, several species are toxic and will release these toxins when they die, or are eaten by your snails. Expect to take Clean up crew losses by eating these dinos.

So steps you can take now.
#1 Need to get water parameters.
#2 Decrease your lighting to ideally 3-4 hours a day, but no more than 5 hours.
#3 If your nitrate and phosphate are low, either dose to get them up or feed more.
#4 Be prepared to purchase a UV sterilizer, some of them are highly susceptible to UV.
#5 Purchase a bacterial additive, Microbacter7 or other brand, bacterial diversity does help
#6 NO WATER CHANGES FOR ANY REASON
#7 You can siphon them out, they blow off easily, but siphon through a sock and return the water back to the tank.

Until you ID what species you have, its hard to specifically target what to do. But all of these things will help, It is not uncommon to have two different species of dinos at once, I myself had that at one point.

 

[Dburr1014]

I’ve got a phosphorous bag in between the floss but no, no skimmer. Ive been advised my tank doesn’t need it but maybe that was before I used the algae remover.

REMOVE THE BAG!

 

[Pollyann]

Dinoflagellates, single celled photosynthetic organism, closely related to algae. Getting rid of them is going to be a task. They thrive in low nutrient environments. First step is to test your water. phosphate and nitrate are key here. Second is to identify what species of dino you have. An accurate diagnosis will require a sample viewed under microscope. I bought a kids one from a toy store and it worked just fine. Each type has features on its cells that give away which species it is. Species is important because it will help you take decisive action to get rid of it. Running carbon after you start to get rid of them is a fantastic idea, several species are toxic and will release these toxins when they die, or are eaten by your snails. Expect to take Clean up crew losses by eating these dinos.

So steps you can take now.
#1 Need to get water parameters.
#2 Decrease your lighting to ideally 3-4 hours a day, but no more than 5 hours.
#3 If your nitrate and phosphate are low, either dose to get them up or feed more.
#4 Be prepared to purchase a UV sterilizer, some of them are highly susceptible to UV.
#5 Purchase a bacterial additive, Microbacter7 or other brand, bacterial diversity does help
#6 NO WATER CHANGES FOR ANY REASON
#7 You can siphon them out, they blow off easily, but siphon through a sock and return the water back to the tank.

Until you ID what species you have, its hard to specifically target what to do. But all of these things will help, It is not uncommon to have two different species of dinos at once, I myself had that at one point.

Fabulous. I’ll try and sort it. Really appreciate your help. I’ll get back to you with progress.

 

[Bucs20fan]

Fabulous. I’ll try and sort it. Really appreciate your help. I’ll get back to you with progress.

Please do keep us posted. I tried to be hard headed and not get a microscope and deal with it with out ID and let me tell you, that 40 dollar investment was well worth it.

 

[Pollyann]

Fabulous. I’ll try and sort it. Really appreciate your help. I’ll get back to you with progress.

Morning. So. Here’s an update for you. I bought a UV steriliser and it’s improved 100%. My anemone has opened and my corals are coming to a bit although they are very pale. I think my racordia has died though. The dinos seem to almost gone but I’ll keep the light in. How long would you suggest keeping it in for. My water is crystal clear and all the green hair algae/ grass is depleting.

 

[Aqua Man]

The dinos seem to almost gone but I’ll keep the light in. How long would you suggest keeping it in for. My water is crystal clear and all the green hair algae/ grass is depleting.

Morning! Unfortunately Dino will always be in the tank, if it was Dino. We still don’t know exactly what causes them to flare up out of control though. The brightwell razor may have been the reason and maybe not. When we put those bottled solutions in our tank, we really have no idea of the consequences.

So keeping the UV in for a few months at least is a good plan. Keeping water parameters stable always helps too.

 

[Dburr1014]

Morning! Unfortunately Dino will always be in the tank, if it was Dino. We still don’t know exactly what causes them to flare up out of control though. The brightwell razor may have been the reason and maybe not. When we put those bottled solutions in our tank, we really have no idea of the consequences.

So keeping the UV in for a few months at least is a good plan. Keeping water parameters stable always helps too.

PO4 @ zero is what causes dinos 90% of the time.
OP was using a carbon bag that had GFO in it. Most likely the cause.

OP, nice to here.

Things to know:
dinos does not go away in a week.
You must keep phosphate above 0.02 and nitrates above zero while battling dinos. Buy test kits if you didn't already. Not API because you need a number. Salifert isn't bad but the po4 is hard to read. Same with redsea.
Hanna low range po4 is the best here.

After, keep them at least 0.03/0.1 respectively.

It would have been nice to ID them but sounds like they are going into the water column. It will be a few weeks until they are knocked back enough to remove the uv. Some run uv all the time, some don't. I don't.

Keep us posted.

 

[Dom]

Sometimes, additives to deal with different problems in a reef tank, create other issues.

It is best to identify the source of the issue and correct it there.